High temperature explosive system containing trinitromesitylene



United States Patent 3,515,604 HIGH TEMPERATURE EXPLOSIVE SYSTEM CONTAINING TRIN ITROMESITYLEN E Joseph T. Hamrick, Roanoke County, Va. (6364 Jae Valley Road SE., Roanoke, Va. 24014) No Drawing. Filed Oct. 10, 1966, Ser. No. 585,236 Int. Cl. C061) 9/04 US. Cl. 149-107 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREv The invention relates to a high explosive system containing various combinations of trinitromesitylene, 2,4,6 trinitrotoluene, picric acid, RDX, HMX, and atomized aluminum. The explosives of this system can withstand environmental temperatures up to approximately 440 F. depending upon which combination is used.

The present invention relates broadly to the formulation of high explosive mixtures which are suitable for use in high temperature environments.

It is the principal aim of this invention to provide a high explosive formulation system which will allow preparation of specific explosives that will withstand environmental temperatures in the 350 F. to 450 F. range.

Another object of this invention is to provide a method of binding together a given explosive and aluminum additives by means of another explosive which serves as a binder.

A further object is to provide a high temperature high explosive in which aluminum is uniformly imbedded.

A still further object is to use additives either explosive or nonexplosive to lower the melting point of the explosive binder so that it can be melted and mixed with RDX and HMX without exceeding their respective decomposition temperatures. Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent during the course of the following description.

Applicants invention lies principally in the discovery that by reducing the melting point of trinitromesitylene by the addition of 2,4,6 trinitrotoluene, more commonly known as TNT, 2,4,6 trinitrophenal more commonly known as picric acid, or other compounds of similar derivative, the resulting mixture can be used as an explosive binder for cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine, more commonly known as RDX, or cyclotetramethylenetetranitramine, more commonly known as HMX, and aluminum dust. An additional advantage is gained in dilution of trinitromesitylene with TNT or picric acid in that the explosive power of the resulting mixture is greater than that of trinitromesitylene alone. The advantage of this new explosive system is that the melting point range is substantially higher than that for currently used Tritonal or Torpex. Tritonal and Torpex melt at 177 F. which is the melting point of the TNT which they contain. This occurs because the RDX and aluminum in the Torpex and aluminum in Tritonal do not go into solution with the TNT. The TNT or picric acid upon going into solution with the trinitromesitylene provides a solution with a lower melting point than that of pure trinitromesitylene, the exact melting temperature being dependent upon the amount of TNT or picric acid in solution. The melting and decomposition temperature of five explosives and explosive power of four of them relative to TNT are given in the following table.

1 Determined by ballistic mortar test. 9 Does not melt.

The addition of aluminum dust to the above explosives increases the explosive power on the order of 25 percent or more depending upon the percentage of aluminum dust.

It can be seen from the melting point and decomposition temperatures shown in the table that the addition of RDX to molten trinitromesitylene would result in decomposition or explosion of the RDX.

A solution with a melting point less than 399 F. which is the rapid decomposition temperature of RDX can be achieved by diluting the trinitromesitylene with an adequate amount of TNT or picric acid. As a result, a mixture of the explosive solution and RDX with or without aluminum dust can be achieved and the resulting mixture can be poured into an explosive device to subsequently harden in place. The practical solution melting point may be less than 350 F. in that RDX starts decomposition slowly above that temperature. With the substitution of HMX for RDX the practical solution melting point may be below 410 F. inasmuch as HMX starts slow decomposition above that temperature.

I claim as my invention:

1. An explosive composition consisting essentially of 60 to percent trinitromesitylene and a member selected from the group consisting of 2,4,6 trinitrotoluene and picric acid.

2. An explosive composition consisting essentially of 20 to 30 percent trinitromesitylene and 2 to 12 percent of a member selected from the group consisting of 2,4,6 trinitrotoluene and picric acid and further including 50 to 70 percent of an ingredient selected from the group consisting of RDX (cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine) and HMX (cyclotetramethylenetetranitramine).

3. An explosive composition consisting essentially of trinitromesitylene and zero to 40 percent by weight of a member selected from the group consisting of 2,4,6 trinitrotoluene and picric acid and further including 15 to 35 percent atomized aluminum.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,271,212 9/1966 Riedl et al 149107 X CARL D. QUARFORTH, Primary Examiner S. J. LECHERT, IR., Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 149-92, 

